Meat for the Bugs
by SlavetoMyself55
Summary: The whiteness of the building causes temporary blindness, the mentally ill to blend into the walls, and a haunting past to shadow your every step. Such a color Dib has despised his whole life.


**Yes, I know, I have completely and unintentionally abandoned my other story that I was supposed to be working on. This story had been chewing on my mind for a few days so I couldn't help but start writing. Finished it within two days and have edited it to try and make it acceptable. So enjoy it while you can. :) **

_The day was unnaturally warm, boisterous honks sounded as cars careened towards their destination; often when the days were hot like this every person wanted to get home and slam their heads into the freezer, wanting a release from the incredible heat. If cars weren't the ones doing damage then the temporary blindness from the sun that caused citizens to trip over each other and power lines did enough damage itself. Even the smart people who wore sunglasses couldn't shake away the whiteness clouding their vision. _

_ The building labeled 34C was a structure that took the worst hit from the horrible star. Every lining and crevice was white; every nook and cranny and worn down walls were white; it was so blinding that all the workers decided to act like the blind for a day, carrying canes and wearing dark sunglasses so as not to be penetrated. They didn't have the funding to purchase blinds for the windows and, unfortunately, nearly all the patients in the building were required to have a window to look out of. _

_ Not one person was taking their job seriously at the moment so the halls were silent, almost eerie. There were muffled shouts from behind certain doors but no one dared to create a pitter patter of footsteps towards a helpless patient… _

_ "Sir, if you would please just follow me I will show you to her room." _

_ At last, an echo drifting across the lower second floor followed by heavy steps. The three silently stepped off the elevator onto the messily swept floor, grime sticking to the corners of the tiles. The smaller of the two saw a filth ridden rat scurry across the floor and grimaced, immediately looking around curiously at the paint peeling off the ridiculously white walls and the few shattered windows never being bothered to be replaced. He absentmindedly tipped his chin down to his chest and clutched the older gentleman's hand tightly. _

_ The worker, wearing a white billowing coat and protected sunglasses, stumbled out of the elevator to catch himself with the cane he was holding. The tallest member in the group gave the man a curious gaze. "Excuse me, but are all of your employees blind?" he asked in a low voice. _

_ Once straightening himself out, the younger man airily laughed, "No, it's only temporary. You see, it's a, um, it's in our contract to try and empathize with our patients by experiencing what they feel. Pretty cool, huh?" A nervous laugh and it was silent again. _

_ The taller man shrugged it off and decided it was not worth questioning. As they continued to walk down the hall, only hearing the soft taps of the "blind" man's cane against the floor, the tall gentleman with a scientific look upon his features caught a small whimper from below. Looking down, his gaze softened at the look of his son burying into his side and suffocating his hand. At an attempt to calm the child's nerves, he squeezed back. _

_ A sudden stop had the man bump right into the employee. Said employee was a bit startled but seemed to stand straight again before tampering with the door they stopped in front of. _

_ "Well, we're here!" he blithely breathed out, pressing in a few more buttons before slipping out a key from his pocket. _

_ "How did you know where it was?" the older one questioned as an afterthought. _

_ The employee shrugged. "I guess I can just feel that it's the one." He clicked the key. "I mean, her door just happens to have that kind of chilly feel to it, you know?" He tried to cover the insult with a laugh. "I guess all of the patients here do, right?" Clearing his throat, he turned the key. _

_ Before opening the door, an arm shot out to stop him. The latter snapped his head to the taller gentleman with a worried look. _

_ "Is… is there a problem, sir?" _

_ "I… I just want to know if it's safe." He gazed down at the child, who looked back at him with large amber eyes, eyebrows creased with fearful anticipation and mild curiosity. _

_ The employee, stunned, stuttered out, "W-well, yes, we gave her medication a few hours ago so she should be tranquil. D-did you want me to call in a few people as reassurance?" _

_ The man shook his head jadedly, "No… no, I think we'll be alright. I just want to see her for one last time." _

_ The other nodded understandingly and opened the door. _

_ The child kept close to his father when they walked in. The room was small and hardly kept clean. There was gook on the floor, saliva puddled near the bed, and very few blood stains were peeling off the walls. Overall, the sight overwhelmed the child and he clutched his father's legs tightly. _

_ A whisper, small and weak, asked his father when they were leaving but he was silenced by his father's voice confronting someone in the room. He could faintly hear murmurs voicing out like someone was pleading. A mantra of chants followed by a hiss and then he felt his father step back. A dry sob and words of pure madness spilled forth out of the stranger's mouth before a wrenching scream erupted into the room. The boy cried out in shock and held on tighter before he was scooped up into the arms of his savior. _

_ He didn't know what happened next but the sight would remain burned into his memory forever. A glance back around his father's shoulder before they left took a sight of grotesque horror. _

_ The woman bound to the bed was frail and pasty, sunken cheekbones prominently stood out along with wild bloodshot eyes darting around furiously. She looked as if the sunlight hadn't hit her body in years, which made sense considering there was no window in her room. Her violet hair, matted and slick with sweat, spiraled in all directions. If her appearance wasn't bad enough, the way her body was convulsing as she furiously scratched herself had taken a toll of the poor boy's mind. _

_ The last thing the child heard was her screaming out, "DON'T LET 'EM GET ME! PLEASE! THE BUGS— THEY'RE EVERYWHERE!" He felt a hand grasp onto the back of his head and pushing his face into his father's shoulder, shielding his eyes as tears streamed down his face. _

_ He heard shouts as feet pounded across the floor of that hall, desperate calls to try and sedate her screams. The rocking motions slowed to a stop and he heard his father's voice boom out, "I thought you said she was sedated!" _

_ The employee form earlier spluttered out, "B-b-but! She was! At least, I thought she was! I—"_

_ "Like Hell you thought she was! This facility is rundown and poorly functional! Consider my visits here __**over**__," his father cried out before tearing down the hall again. The boy looked up to see what was happening before a ray of sunlight hit his glasses, blinding him. He hid his face again. _

_ In the elevator, he could hear his father's rapid breathing starting to slow down. After a few minutes, the boy shakily brought his head up to look into the reflection of his father's goggles. _

_ "Daddy… who was that person?" he asked in hesitation. _

_ He heard his father sigh deeply, not looking at him, as if afraid of seeing his son's reaction. _

_ "That, son, was your mother." _

Ten Years Later

A flutter of delicate wings barely had a chance to settle on a flower before the snap end of a trench coat ripped through the air, slamming the insect off to the side in pieces. To further humiliate the bug, a boot ran across the remains, sticking onto the bottom like glue. But there was no time for removing the entrails because the certain person squashing on bugs had a mission, a mission that could not be delayed for such petty things as getting bug guts on his boots.

Breathing deeply, the perpetrator pumped his arms faster to gain speed once seeing his prey up ahead. A nasty grin fell across his face, violet eyes narrowed in determination.

_HONK! _Dodging the oncoming traffic, the hunter gracefully slid through the small spaces between cars, keeping his eyes trained on his deer, who much rather bounded over the cars like a deer would. Smirking at the irony of this, this only fueled him to gain speed. Another honk and his eyes widened as he narrowly dodged a truck, side stepping to trip over his foot and send him crashing.

Growling, he began to yell obscenities at the driver for daring to distract him from his mission. The driver responded with a rude gesture before driving off, leaving the hunter sprawled out on the street.

Jumping to his feet, he scanned for where the deer could be before spotting him only yards away, fighting off what looked like a very creepy Chihuahua, who was currently dragging teeth through his coat. Another grin and he was off again, cursing when his prey seemed to perk up his ears and glance at him. Sensing the danger, he shook off the dog and bolted again, clutching the prized item in his hand, the whole reason why the chase began.

When his prey was within earshot the creature yelled out, "Try and run, Dib-stink! But you know that you can't outrun me!" He cackled evilly and sped up.

Dib knew the creature was right. His poorly used human body was no match for the well trained alien invader. Still, he was determined to win this fight; he still had some dignity left. Smirking at his confidence, Dib yelled back, "Just try and catch me, space boy! You'll never get this back, Zim!"

To taunt the green skinned alien, Dib shook the device in the air. Ha! He definitely had the upper hand now. He could dispose of it in any way he wanted to and he knew Zim knew it.

Seeing this, Zim gritted his teeth and frowned, trying to speed up. They were near the unattractive part of town now. Alley's and poorly fit buildings lined the areas disorderly as if to send out warning signals. They both recognized what imminent doom looked like, considering the times they've spent trying to get rid of each other, and the area they were in gave them that same feeling.

To them it was all just a game, trying to out-best one another in any way they could. Dib, clearly running out of breath, slowed to a point where he could actually glimpse where they were instead of just seeing blurs all around him. He could hear the other gaining on him and, for better lack of his own personal health, decided that maybe he should just give up.

_Hell no! There is no way I'm going to let this idiotic and complete selfish, arrogant piece of—_

A casual glance to his left interrupted his thoughts and movement was abandoned completely.

Then the sudden force of weight knocked him to the floor onto his hands and knees, yelping in surprise. Obviously he didn't realize how close Zim really was. Zim stumbled, not falling, holding his head from the blow.

"What on Irk's name are you _doing_?"

Dib ignored him and hastily stood up, nudging past the invader to bestow his gaze at the sight, gaping blankly.

It was a building. It held no distinguished colors or signs painted on it, just a bland looking run down building. It didn't brandish anything to make him feel threatened nor did it look like it held any value to Dib. Yet, he couldn't shake off the familiarity of it; the significance of it just existing brought a wave of apprehensive curiosity, like when he saw Zim out of his disguise the first time.

"Dib! Diiiib! Di-buh! Hey, Dib-shit! Are you listening to the almighty Zim? Hey!"

Growing aggravated, Dib shoved the snapping fingers away from his face, and turned to direct a glare at his enemy.

"Zim, will you quit it? Look, just take it and leave me alone, okay?"

Zim caught the device in his gloved hands and stared up at Dib incredulously.

After a moment Zim gave a bark of laughter and held the device up high as if showing off a prize. "Ha! I've defeated you once again, Dib-smell! Nothing can defeat me! Nothing! What do ya think of that, huh!" He began to laugh out triumphantly before stopping when he heard no retort.

Turning, he saw Dib already walking towards the front entrance of the building as if in a trance. Zim quirked up an eye, frowning. Looking around for anyone, he ran after the teen, only to see what the human was up to, of course.

Dib was just about to enter until a hand gripped onto his shoulder and spun him around. He was instantly pinned up against a wall. Zim's furious gaze pierced him. Dib mirrored him.

"Just what are you up to, human?" Zim growled out.

"Nothing that concerns _you_," Dib snapped back, trying to pry Zim's fingers off his trench coat.

Zim chuckled dryly. Giving Dib a pointed look he said, "Ironic coming from a person who has obsessively been concerned with everything I've done since I've arrived on this planet."

Dib grimaced at the wicked smile Zim flashed. He wet his lips and muttered out, "Touché, you damn bastard. Will you let me go now?"

Zim released him and stepped back. Dib audibly mumbled out curses and begrudgingly led the alien inside as the latter relished in his victory.

It was white, that he could tell, but it wasn't as blinding white as he remembered it to be. Definitely worn down to a point where even the rats have publicly announced their future home. He heard Zim give a disgusted noise and had to agree with the alien.

Approaching the desk was the easy part.

"Hi, there! Can I help you two, gentlemen?"

Now came the hard part.

Dib eyed the receptionist and took in the obvious beauty of her features. She wasn't an old bag wearing cat eye glasses and overdone lipstick. No, she held a simple elegance in the way she dressed, and her expressive eyes were very radiant. She smiled heavenly at them, Dib stared.

_What in the hell is someone like her working in such a rundown building? Surely there are other jobs out there that would suit her. I mean, anyone would take a young experienced twenty-year-old to work for them. _

As her smile began to wane, Dib shook out of his thoughts and said, "S-sorry. I, um, I was wondering if you could tell me what this building stands for."

The receptionist gave a bubbly laugh and waved her hand off as if he just told a corny joke.

"Well, we stand for the mentally ill. We house them back to health and whatnot. It's a very productive program we have here. I take it you'd like a tour of the place? Do you, perhaps, have someone who you'd like to register in?"

She subtly pointed at Zim, smiling. "Are you here to register this young man? He does look like he has a skin disorder. Is it affecting his mental health? I did hear that green skin can make you mad nowadays!" She laughed again as if she didn't care Zim was standing there with a look of sheer insult.

Dib couldn't help but let out a snicker at the idea and he felt Zim elbow his side angrily.

"Uh, n-no, miss…"

"Oh, just call me Kate!"

"Um, okay. No, we aren't here for that, Kate," Dib coughed out.

"Well, then, what are you here for?"

"Yes, oh do tell us, Dib-stink! Before Zim loses his patience…" Zim rudely glared at Dib.

"Fine," Dib hissed back and smiled politely at Kate. "It's been a long time since I was last here, Kate. I was wondering if you knew anyone by the name of Professor Membrane."

It took Dib completely by surprise when Kate's grin completely vanished, leaving a trail of disbelief to mask her face. She laughed nervously, darting her eyes everywhere but on the two and tapping her fingers on the desk.

"M-Membrane? I…I don't know who you're talking about, sir. You must be mistaken."

Dib's suspicions rose to full scale and even he felt that Zim knew something was up.

"That's total bull! Everyone knows Professor Membrane! Don't pretend you don't know!"

Kate's nervous attitude suddenly took a turn as she glare hotly at Dib. She stood up from her seat and slammed her hands on the desk, leaning forward she haughtily remarked, "I don't know what you're talking about! Now, I must ask you two gentlemen to leave, please." She pointed towards the door, giving a defiant glare.

Despite the spunk Dib clearly saw in her, he furiously slammed his hand on the desk and glared right back. "I'm not leaving until I see her! I know what I saw ten years ago, dammit, and I want to know where she is!"

It grew silent, the two both glaring at each other, Zim awkwardly shuffling to the side as he watched the two with slight envy. Kate was the first to break as she crossed her arms and glared off to the side with a huff.

"She's not accepting any visitors today," Kate said quietly.

Dib sighed. "I don't care. I just want to see her again. Please, it's all I've really wanted to do for a long time. I don't care if she's sick, I've dealt with worse. Trust me."

Dib glanced over at Zim, who was clearly confused as to who Dib wanted to see. He had no idea what was going on and had no idea why he was even here in the first place. But, this was proving to be far more interesting considering the Dib is very persistent in meeting this… person. He must know who this person is and why it has stolen the Dib's attention.

After a few minutes, Kate jerked her head over to the elevator and sighed out, "Follow me."

The ride there was quiet and uncomfortable, but Dib was more focused on what he was going to say when he saw his mother. Should he sit silently? Try to talk her into having a conversation with him? Maybe he could even act and sing as a joke while he's at it? He wasn't sure.

The walk to the door was purely agonizingly slow and Dib felt nauseous. He just decided that he was going to wing it when he got in there. But was that the smart choice? He didn't like the last visit he made to her.

_Oh, God, the screaming… _

A chill swept up his arms upon approaching the door. Oddly enough, there wasn't a label on it or any kind of code to let people know it was her room. It was like that guy said ten years ago. "I guess I can just feel it's the one." Now that gave Dib the willies.

Kate typed in a few buttons before putting in a key. She turned to look at the bespectacled teenager and asked, "Are you sure about this? She's the only person here who hasn't changed a bit. She's still a bit unstable and—"

"I'm sure about this," Dib said, nodding over at Zim who gave him a confused look.

Kate shook her head and opened the door.

The room… hadn't changed a bit, which made Dib a bit upset. He figured that after their last encounter, they would at least have the decency to fix this place up. He supposed it was their fear to even come in here in the first place that was the problem.

Dib quietly ushered Zim in and nodded him to stay a few feet back. Zim gave Dib a look of suspicion before stepping back. Dib turned to look at the bed at last.

At the age of six he never was tall enough to see over anything, more or less a bed. The sight was somewhat more peaceful than the last time he saw her. She was asleep, a look of pain crossed her features but nonetheless she was unconscious. There was nothing holding her down except a strap across her stomach securing her to the bed. She was still frail and equally pale looking. The prominent cheekbones still stood out amongst anything else. Her hair, still greased to the bone, didn't have that strewn out appearance he witnessed the last time he was here; it was fanned out beneath her gently.

"Dib, what are you doing?" Zim whispered out fiercely, stepping forward to grab at the boy.

Not turning to look at the other, Dib stuck his hand out behind him to signal Zim to stop and shushed him, all the while taking small steps to the bed.

Zim leaned against the back wall and stuck out his lower jaw in annoyance, folding his arms. He grumbled out a few words and watched the Dib cautiously approach the sleeping woman.

Dib's hands felt clammy and his heart was racing against his ribs. He licked his lips again before stopping next to her. After a beat or two, he raised a trembling hand to lay it over her boney shoulder. He swallowed and gently shook the feathery, pasty woman.

"Mom? Mom, wake up. It's me, Dib." His fingers twitched in anticipation.

With newly found courage he shook harder, hoping it would do that trick. Not even a flutter of eyelids. He narrowed his eyes.

_Damn, what did they put in her, a tranquilizer that would take down a bull elephant? _

Shaking harder he yelled, "Mom! Wake up!"

Bloodshot amber eyes shot open. Dib was prepared for this and quickly covered her mouth to muffle her screams. Then he bound her pale wrists together to subjugate any struggling. This happened so quickly that Zim hardly registered why it was done in the first place. Though shockingly immediate, he remained quiet and still.

Her frantic struggles were giving Dib a hard time to try and calm her down. To her, he must look like a maniac trying to rape her or some kind of shit like that. She may be very frail but she sure could put up a fight. After minutes of inner arguments, Dib forced himself to go slightly lax with his grip on her so as to try and not frighten her any more than he had, though her wild eyes weren't helping his nerves.

"Mom, mom, please calm down. Sh. It's me, your son, Dib! Please, I'm not going to hurt you. Don't you remember me? Dib? Your son?" His frantic attempts were futile as she struggled even more.

Sighing, Dib let go of her wrists, but didn't want her to start screaming again so he kept her mouth shut. Once free, she immediately began punching at him, but it was like throwing paper balls at a boulder. Dib sat, merely watching with saddened eyes. So this was his mother; a raggedy white doll seeing the world off kilter and mentally weak minded.

He blinked tiredly, not noticing a stray tear making its way down his cheek. Blinking again he noticed the untamed dilated eyes of his mother had gone still, her shouts ceased behind his hand. Her nails were digging into both his arms but the pain was forgotten when he saw her eyes trailing down his cheek and back up to his eyes.

Dib didn't dare talk for fear of making things worse. The two simply stared, reflecting off one another. Dib felt a spark shimmy its way down his spine. She looked so much like Gaz that it was unbelievable. The only difference was the way her amber eyes didn't hold any cold viciousness he saw with his little sister. No, they were more like his, gentle and resilient, displaying determination and warmth.

Her grip eventually went loose and Dib nearly flinched when she brought her shaky hand to touch his face. Her hand was freezing cold to the touch and the teen bit his lip. Her thumb trailed over the tear track on his face and played with the metal rim of his glasses. Hesitantly, she pulled the glasses off and Dib tried hard not to squint. He was blind as a bat without his glasses on.

The disfigured fuzzy blob in front of him didn't move. Not even when he brought his hand up to grasp it. His hand fumbled and he ended up closing his hand around her pinky, holding it there.

There was a pathetic groan coming from behind his hand and he released his hand over her mouth. A chocked gasp emitted and he braced himself for a wrenching scream to take place. It didn't. He let out a sigh of relief and the sound of gasping sobs reached his ears. He stayed silent. He wished that he had his glasses back.

"D… Dibby?" her voice was hoarse from crying.

The boy couldn't believe his ears. She… she remembered him! He felt a warm hand clutching at his insides and begin to bloom through to his heart and head. He wanted to do something exciting at the moment and he wanted to cry at the same time all because she remembered who her little boy was.

He smiled toothily instead. "Mom… can I have my glasses back?"

The feel of metal glasses being deposited into his hand made his heart swell and he put them back on, drinking in her facial expression. Big salty tears streamed down her face and her eyes no longer were wild looking but rather collected. Her decaying teeth smiled back at him through chapped lips and if she weren't so abused here, Dib was sure she would have looked beautiful.

"Dib," she gasped out, clutching his sleeve. "Y… you're alive… b-but… how?"

Dib furrowed his brows. She'd known he was alive…. right?

"I, um, yes, mom, I'm alive." He didn't know what else to say but state the obvious.

Her breathing came in short breathes, almost like she was hyperventilating. "But… but I saw them take you! They—they had you! And… oh god, your head! What did they do to your head!"

She completely befuddled Dib. "I… I don't know what you mean. My head has always been this size." He paused. "Who had me, mom?"

Trembling, she grasped onto Dib's front shirt and brought him closer. The proximity of their faces allowed Dib to smell the shit on her breath. He nearly gagged but forced himself to listen.

"The bugs," she whispered dramatically.

Zim—who had been picking at his claws nearly the whole time without paying the two any attention—stopped his pointless ministrations when he didn't hear anything. It was as if the two completely vanished into thin air. The antennae under his hair piece twitched and he snapped his head towards the two, only to nearly retch at the sight.

The affection they were showing disgusted the alien and he turned away with a grunt of impatience. He was starting to wonder if they would ever get out of here. He had made a mistake following the Dib here; it has proven to be revolting so far.

After a few minutes he could hear them start conversing in unnatural breathy tones. He occasionally began to observe the woman after a while, taking in her hideous features.

_Ugh. What a disgusting weak looking human. Even the Dib looks normal when contrasted with her. She would never be fit to… wait a minute. _

Leaning forward, Zim _really _analyzed the way she looked. The insanity behind her eyes looked familiar to him, much like how Dib looked when trying to convince his students that he was an alien. He didn't see her thin hair as greased up and pathetic but rather flamboyantly dancing wildly behind her in thick locks. He could see her sunken cheekbones filling in and taking on a rosy tint. He could see her withering lips to be fully bright and open in a bloodcurdling scream. Her decaying teeth became perfect white teeth clenching in agony.

Zim gave her a concentrated stare. He most definitely has seen her from somewhere… but where? He couldn't remember by just looking at her. His memory was too vague. Taking a step closer, he cocked his head to the side as if trying to fix a problem from broken down machinery. Taking another step he stopped when her eyes flickered to him.

When Dib saw her eyes look away from him he pulled back, hating the stench. However, her vise grip hardly let him have any space from her. She immediately grew rigid, eyes burning at the sight of Zim. He turned to look at Zim frozen on the spot and eyeing his mother apprehensively.

It was another moment of silence before his mother let out a terrible shriek and flew back against the bed, head knocking against the wall. Dib hastily stood up. His mother was shaking so violently that the whole frame of the urinated bed began to shake. Dib watched, horrified, as his mother struggled against the strap to try and get away from Zim.

A loud crack was heard reverberating inside the room and his mother howled in pain. Dib saw that her ribs were no match against the sturdy strap.

"MOM!" Dib screamed, trying to aid to her.

His mother screamed again and grabbed her son closer to her. Dib tried to pull away from her grip and saw her point a grimy finger at Zim, who was spellbound to the scene.

"GET IT AWAY FROM MEEEE! DEVIL! PROPHET! THING OF EVIL! DON'T YOU DARE COME NEAR US!" She shrilled out in Dib's ear, her breath reeking.

Zim stood shock still, eyes widening at the sight. Now he could see her in a whole new light. He could see the waxy skin become flushed and the violet hair whipping behind her. He could see her kicking and biting and screaming when being flushed across the table. Everything about her was being seen in a whole new world in Zim's eyes. He had recognized her from the start.

"Dear Irk…" Zim breathed out, still finding this turn of events unbelievable.

Dib thrashed in his mother grip. He was only mildly surprised that no one working here bashed their way in to see what the hell was going on. He'd always hated this facility.

"Mom! Mom, it's just Zim! Calm down! He—he's not going to hurt you! Right, Zim?" Dib barked out, giving Zim an accusing stare as he was throttled around by his mother.

Zim simply stood, staring at the woman in a perpetual state of incredibility. After a moment he stepped forward and opened his mouth to say something. This only caused the stir crazy woman to tighten her grip and let out another shriek. Zim froze.

"GET AWAY FROM HIM! I WON'T LET YOU TAKE HIM AWAY AGAIN, YOU HEAR ME! DON'T TAKE MY BABY! NO MORE! NO MORE! PLEASE, DON'T HURT HIM! PLEASE!" She was sobbing hysterically now, shoulders heaving with wet, bubbly coughs. She kicked the air towards Zim as if to defend herself from the oncoming threat.

Before Dib could do anything else, there was a crash as the door blasted open to slam into the wall. Several men in white lab coats entered with haste, all pointing a gun at her. Dib shouted out in surprise and told them not to shoot. Zim backed into the shadows, wide eyes still trained on the woman's face.

Kate rushed into the room and began prying his mother's fingers off of his coat. Dib ignored her and yelled for the men to lower their weapons, but they didn't listen. His mother was still screaming at Zim and the other men began to argue amongst themselves with the situation at hand. The fingers were yanked away and within the frenzy, Kate turned back around and nodded at one of the men.

Dib caught the gesture. "NO!" He tried to block the shot but Kate forced him up against the wall. Dib watched a small tranquilizer dart pop out of the barrel of a gun and lodge itself into his mother's neck. His mother jerked back with a whimper and the room suddenly became quieter, calmer.

Dib, breathing deeply, broke away from Kate and rushed to his mother's side while she was still conscious.

"Mom," he called, "Mom, can you hear me?"

Kate looked over at the men and asked them to leave. In a supercilious fashion, the men marched off with their heads up high. Dib jeered scornfully.

_Probably the only thing they'll ever think they're brave at, those fuckers. _

Kate plucked the dart from the frail neck and stepped back, allowing space. Dib took his mother's hand and felt his chest constrict at her wheezing.

_God, a woman of not even fifty and she already looks like she's ninety years old. _

Her face tilted to look up at him with wide amber eyes, it scared Dib. She reached up with the strength that she had left and grasped his shirt to pull him closer.

"Dib," she wheezed out, beginning to go wall eyed from the drug, "Don't let them get you. The bugs… they… they eat _everything_. The human race… you know what we are?"

She let out a short high pitched shrill of laughter as if remembering an old joke. Dib winced and began to sweat from the sudden hysteria coming from his mother.

She brought him even closer and whispered out, "Meat. Meat for the bugs."

Dib let out a gasp and jerked out of her grip right when her hand fell. He clapped his hands over his mouth, eyes growing large. Moments later he lowered his hands down and stared at the passed out form of the psychotic woman.

Dib hoisted himself up and turned sharply to glare knives at the alien across from him.

"We're **leaving**," he spat out, clasping his hand around Zim's arm and dragging him off. Kate shut the door and locked it.

For a few minutes Zim didn't even know what was happening, the vision of the crazy human still in his mind. He stumbled, following the Dib as if he were his loyal pet. Once in the elevator, Dib spun around and slammed his nemesis into an interior wall by the shoulders. Zim hissed in pain.

"What in the _hell _was that?" Dib bit out angrily.

Zim snarled. "Release me," he replied in a threatening voice.

"Not until you tell me why she was so afraid of you. Everything was fine until you shoved your ugly green face in the picture!"

"How am I supposed to know, hyyuman! She's just crazy! In fact, you're _both _crazy! Funny how craziness seems to be hereditary to you humans! Isn't that right, Dib-nut?"

Zim's head snapped to the side with the blow across his face. Dib was about to hail down another fist full of hate when Zim brought up his leg and kicked Dib to the floor. Dib hit his head hard against the elevator door and tumbled out when it opened with a ding. His head suffered a second attack when meeting the floor.

He groaned and squint his eyes open to see Zim casually walking over him with a smirk. Then he deliberately directed a kick to Dib's right side, causing the teen to curl up with another groan.

"You… son of a bitch," Dib gasped out, clutching his bruised midriff.

Zim laughed nastily and said, "Just think of that as payback for all those past painful kicks you've delivered to me over the years. There will be a lot more where that came from… Dibby." He giggled.

And before the Dib scrambled to his feet with mounted fury, Zim shot out of the building. He ran down the empty streets hardly lit with flickering street lamps. Jumping over dogs and doorstep babies, he ran, knowing that the human was following him.

It was a chase. That's what started it all in the first place. Well, Zim figured he was going to end the day with it, because he was sick of confrontations and he knew that he will most certainly be getting a lot of it sooner or later. Dib wasn't someone who gives up easily. He's a confronter, a determined little rat who will fight for what he wants. However way Dib was going to approach him, he would be ready.

Yet, the dreaded fear of being confronted chewed at the inside of Zim's PAK; because he knew the truth. He had always known the truth in one way or another.

A particular memory hit him hard and Dib's young childish voice drifted through his head.

_I have vague memories of being taken on board of an alien ship as a baby and I'm not sure but I think they were doing tests on me. Trying to create some kind of genius super baby perhaps… _

**The End**

**Please review and point out any mistakes I may have made. I wanna pleeeease the audience cuz I care about my readers... cuz I just do. **

**References to IZ (duh), particularly to the episode Dark Harvest, and an amazing book I read: Things They Carried. Read it. **


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